Written answers
Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Passport Services
32. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will examine the case of a passport application for a person (details supplied), and the difficulties in the applicant receiving... - Departmental Meetings
33. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether he or his officials have met with peace activists or experts in the past 12 months; the date and agenda of those meetings; and if he... - Middle East
34. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he intends to abide by the legal analysis of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied... - Legislative Measures
37. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the Government's position on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025. [40715/25] - Registration Certificate
38. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 121 of 22 May and 133 of 1 July 2025, to provide additional guidance in relation to a matter (details... - International Agreements
39. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when Ireland will ratify the UN Global Oceans Treaty; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40779/25] - Middle East
40. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to clarify the Government’s position in respect of issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement... - Departmental Legal Services
41. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total spend by his Department on external legal services in each of the past three years; the main areas of legal activity for which... - Middle East
43. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 199 of 8 July 2025, to state, as was asked in the original question, the total number of the 57,012... - International Relations
44. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to list all territories internationally which the State recognises as being illegally occupied by another state, as a result of United... - Passport Services
45. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport application in respect of a person (details supplied) can be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40987/25] - Middle East
46. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if vetting was undertaken for the evacuation of Irish citizens and their dependants from Israel to ensure that they were not involved in war... - Departmental Expenditure
47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent by his Department on food and alcohol at receptions in Iveagh House between 2014 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will... - Grant Payments
48. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide the total number of grant payments issued by the Department in each of the past five years, along with the total value of those... - Passport Services
49. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of requests to expedite passports received by his office in each year from 2015 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the... - Trade Agreements
51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to his meeting with the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, recently, whether the Irish Government's position on... - Overseas Development Aid
52. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he can confirm that maintaining or increasing current levels of EU overseas development aid both unilaterally and collectively will be a... - Visa Applications
53. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to intervene to ensure that a person (details supplied) who is in Gaza and has a student visa for Ireland is added to the exit lists so that... - Passport Services
61. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if it will be ensured that the processing of a passport for a person (details supplied) will be processed urgently by his Department, as it... - Foreign Birth Registration
62. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the average waiting time for processing individuals on the foreign births register; and the number of cases currently being processed. [41829/25] - Office of Government Procurement
64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the names of companies currently on the Office of Government Procurement framework for the provision of transferring furniture and other... - Passport Services
65. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to make changes to the current passport application process for passports that are expired more than five years whereby they are... - Ministerial Responsibilities
66. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he uses personal emails for his Government business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42108/25] - Passport Services
68. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the timeframe for the new passport office in Cork to open; if printing facilities will be available in this new office; and if he will make a... - Northern Ireland
71. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the challenge to the UK’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 which is before the European Court of Human... - Trade Relations
72. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position on all developments relating to EU-US trade talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42180/25] - Diplomatic Representation
74. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether his Department will make additional resources available to the Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv in order to secure the safe passage of... - International Relations
76. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in light of the Hague Group meeting in Colombia, which Ireland attended, and the declaration of 12 countries to end all ties with Israel... - Military Aircraft
77. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has given approval for the transfer of military weaponry or personnel through Irish airspace, from the period 28 May to... - Trade Sanctions
79. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action he will take on an EU level to sanction Israel for its ongoing war crimes in Gaza; to push for an end to the blockade of food and... - Middle East
80. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise the reported deaths of civilians in Gaza from hunger with the Israeli Government; and if he will make a statement on the... - Diaspora Issues
82. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update as of July 2025 on the programme for Government commitment to develop a new diaspora strategy; and if he will make a statement... - Trade Agreements
84. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on engagements he has had with like-minded EU counterparts with regard to Ireland’s opposition to the Mercosur trade... - Passport Services
87. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications with addresses in County Cork that are being processed by the passport office as of July 2025; and if he... - Diplomatic Representation
88. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to establish new Irish embassies during the lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42451/25] - Passport Services
89. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to increase staffing and resources of the passport office to ease processing delays; his views on the opening of a new passport... - Consular Services
90. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his engagements with counterparts in the United States regarding the deportation of Irish citizens living in the United... - Departmental Expenditure
91. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent by his Department and State bodies under its aegis on travel and subsistence in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025,... - Overseas Development Aid
92. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the controls in place to prevent appropriation of Irish foreign aid by officials in a country (details supplied). [42522/25] - Diaspora Issues
93. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the work to facilitate the easier return to Ireland for emigrants, including reciprocal driving licence arrangements... - Northern Ireland
94. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had any engagement with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with regard to legacy legislation, especially in view of... - Departmental Contracts
96. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether his Department or any agency operating under its aegis has, in the past five years, used reserved contracts or included social... - Northern Ireland
97. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the closing of charity shops in Northern Ireland (details supplied); given they receive funding from Irish... - Diplomatic Representation
98. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there are plans to open a new Irish consulate general office in Auckland, New Zealand; and if he will make a statement on the matter.... - Capital Expenditure Programme
100. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of the capital funding programmes or grants for which his Department or any body under his aegis has responsibility for which... - Middle East
102. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has been contacted in relation to an Irish citizen seeking the evacuation of his father from Gaza; and if he will address the matters... - Visa Agreements
103. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department launched a communications strategy in South Africa to advise South African citizens of the need for a short-term visa to... - Middle East
105. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to work with his counterparts at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to ensure that the family of a Palestinian individual... - EU Presidency
107. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the preparations underway for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026; the key thematic priorities under... - Nuclear Proliferation
108. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps his Department is taking to advance Ireland’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and arms control; including support for the... - Passport Services
109. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures being taken to enhance consular services and modernise passport delivery for Irish citizens abroad; the current staffing levels... - Diaspora Issues
110. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of his Department’s engagement with the Irish diaspora, including any planned reforms to the Emigrant Support Programme;... - Legislative Measures
113. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on the Occupied Territories Bill and the possibility of dealing with services as well as goods and any other sanction... - Trade Relations
114. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department and other Departments engagement with the EU and US as regards the possibility of tariffs; and if he will... - Official Engagements
116. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on recent engagement between his Department and the Palestinian Authority; and if he will make a statement on... - Passport Services
117. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current number of passport applications currently being processed; the number of passports issued to date in 2025; and if he will make a... - Overseas Development Aid
120. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is aware of plans by the EU to reduce the overseas aid budget; the engagement his Department has had with the EU on this... - Official Engagements
121. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of the recent engagement his Department has had with the EU regarding Russian aggression in Ukraine; and if he will make a... - Departmental Staff
124. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of full-time equivalents directly employed by his Department, broken down by grade, in tabular form. [43660/25] - Departmental Equipment
125. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether his Department has a policy or goal of better insourcing of IT requirements and needs of the Department for better cybersecurity,... - Departmental Bodies
126. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason his Department has not published the names of those in the US Strategic Economic Advisory Panel; and if he will make a statement... - Consular Services
130. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail the procedure in place in circumstances where a person alleges unlawful detention in the United States and where consular... - Debt Relief
131. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline Ireland's official position on global debt refinancing and forgiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43767/25] - EU Presidency
134. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there will be a recruitment process for additional staff for the EU Presidency; if persons outside the public service will be eligible... - Middle East
135. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of evacuation processes in place for university students granted places at Irish universities to escape Gaza; and... - Trade Agreements
137. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide detailed clarification of the potential access and the protections to market access, arising from the so-called "negative list"... - United Nations
142. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress he has made in lobbying for continued support of the UN Security Council mandate for the UNIFIL mission; if he intends to... - Diaspora Issues
143. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the consultation that has been conducted by his Department with the Irish diaspora on voting rights for new emigrants; and if he will make a... - Family Reunification
145. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions Ireland is taking with regard to the forced repatriation of refugees to Afghanistan; the steps that have been taken to support... - Foreign Policy
147. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is of the view that the institutional balance of the treaties requires that the European Commission must always reflect positions... - European Union
148. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to identify and provide an explanation for each and every instance where the Government has sought clarity regarding inconsistency in... - Passport Services
149. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of staff in the passport service, by role, by year, for the years 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
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